Prison for man convicted of sexually assaulting neighbor

A 25-year-old Boerne man will spend the next five years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting a neighbor, prosecutors said. 

Giovani Kitts on Jan. 31 was found guilty of sexual assault by a Kendall County jury, which then sentenced him to imprisonment in a Texas Department of Criminal Justice facility. 

The trial before 451st state District Judge Kirsten B. Cohoon included testimony from the victim, witnesses and forensic experts. In addition to his five-year prison sentence, Kitts will be required to register as a sex offender under state law.
 

Authorities said the incident occurred March 13, 2022, when Kendall County Sheriff’s Deputy Justin Granado responded to a call regarding a sexual assault at the Guadalupe Crossing Apartments in Comfort.  

Granado spoke with the victim, who gave a detailed account of events. 

The woman said on March 12, her boyfriend had invited several friends, including the defendant, to their apartment for a social gathering, investigators said. The victim said she went to bed about midnight because she had to work early the next morning.
 

In the early hours of March 13, the victim told Granado she awoke to find the defendant sexually assaulting her. She identified the perpetrator as a neighbor who lived below her and whom she had considered a friend. 

As a policy, the Star does not identify victims of sexual assault. 

Witnesses testified at the trial Kitts attended the gathering, and the victim’s boyfriend caught him leaving the bedroom. Kitts’ underwear was found in the room.  

Forensic DNA analysis later confirmed that Kitts’ DNA was found on the victim and her underwear, corroborating the victim’s statement, according to testimony. 

The investigation was led by Kendall County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Jonathan Quade, assisted by Sgt. Tom Dudley and Granado.  

“Their thorough and dedicated work was crucial in gathering the evidence and providing support to the victim throughout the legal process,” said Andrew Fields, Kendall County assistant district attorney.
 

It is estimated one in five women in Texas will experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetime, yet only about one in three offenses result in a conviction, according to the District Attorney’s Office. 

“This conviction reflects our commitment to holding offenders accountable and seeking justice for victims of sexual abuse,” Fields said. “We will continue to work tirelessly to combat sexual violence in our community.”